Hand-pack filling-machine.



H. W. I WE.

HAND PACK FILLING MACHINE.

APPucAaoN man APR.13.19I4.

Patented Oct. 3,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

fifa/(9 H. W. LOWE. HAN@ PACK FILLING MAcHiNE.

n APPLICATION FILED APR. 13, I9l4. 1,200,377. Patented om. 3,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

HAND-PACK FILING--MACHINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3,1919;

Application filed April 13, 1914. Serial No. 831,655,

l" whom it 'may concer-n e it known that L'HARRY W. LOWE, a citizen. of the United States, residing at Florence, in the county of DouglasV and State of Nebraska, have inventedA certain new and useful Improvements in -Hand- Pack Filling-Machines, of which the following is a specification,

The invention has for' its-.object the provision of eflicient and sanitary means for employment in connection with the filling of fruits, vegetables and similar cooked food products into cans whereby the hand work of the operators is greatly facilitated and the uniformity ofthe packaging is promoted. This general object is attained by means of a moving can carrier traveling preferably in anorbita'l path within which is arranged a central container from which the operators standing or sitting about the machine transfer the cooked material to the cans, the empty cansbeing-fed toA and the-filled cans discharged from the machine by a simple device serving in .the dual capacity'of feed and discharge, means being also provided to preventjamming or crushing ofthe cans as they enter the machine. -v In the accompanying. drawings and -in the description based thereon areset forth preferred and modified embodiments of the invention. As, however, .the invention is capable of embodiment in other. and varied constructional formsthe drawing and de` lscription are to be construed in an illustraltive and not in an unnecessarily hmiting Fig. 3 isa fragmentary'se'ctional View illus.

trating the driving connections which are common to both forms of the machine.

Upon asuitable supporting frame 11 is mounted a table 12 having I a marginal flange 13 which latter` serves toconlinethe cans 1i within an annular path about the margin of the table. Centrally of thetable is mounted a rotary bovl 1'5 the inner portion of which extends upwardly as a cone 16 so as to provide within lthe bowl an annular trough 1 7 aboutlthepcone 1G. The bowl is provided with a horizontally, ex.- te-nding rim. lgmyvhich in the construction shown in Fig/,lilies an upwardly extending' flangel," 1 8 being providedV at regular spaced intervals witln openings l0 each bounded by a downwardly extending flange 2l, the external diameter of which is slightly less than" the interior di-A 6o 'ameter of the cans lll, the flange 21 beingr adapted to enter within the open top of a can. Surmounting the bowl V15 is a hopper '22 supported upon lstandards in spaced relation above' anlfco'ncentrically of 65 the conical projection l1(3.j1l3y means of this hopper the food products'rareintroduced to the bowl and are caused to liow `l.)eneath the lower edge of the same into the annularchannel 17.. The bowl 15 is Vshown Aas mounted upon a vertical shaft 2l provided with a bevel gear 25 in mesh with a similar gear 2G upon the drive shaft 27 which latteris driven` fromf any suitable source ofpowerby mea'nsjof' 5 the fast and loose pulleys 28, Q9. z 'l The bowl 15 isprovided' aboutits'pei riphery' with radially Iextending'arms'n '305 arranged at spaced intervals cor'respc'nidi'ng;vl to the distance .separating vthe discharge-380 openings 20, these arms.30';erteiidingleaber` the marginal portion of the table 12 serving each to engagel the can .andc-cariy the same around the table with.theiboitl and in register with theopening 20 lThef5 table 12 is cutaway uponjone-.side :it-.315?V to provide a substantially semicircnlan opening within which is -mounted a feed and discharge disk 32, the sai disk being carried upon the shaft 33 provided with a sprocket 3l driven by means offYa chain 35S- from a sprocket 3G upon the shaft 2l 4 where`4 by the disk 32 is caused to' revohei` in an orbit overlapping the orbit of thefbowl, one.; side of the dislrmoving outwardly-.-azvay from the bowl and theother side 'inivardulymi toward the same. g-

The inwardly moving or feed portion,ofi A the disk is provided witha marginal-girar. 37 fixed upon the flange 13 of thetable. 2' 100 and linner and outer springdeflec .,a or rodsl 38 and 39 are mounted upontlx'ty` table and extend over the feed portiQn-.of l the disk, while upon the opposite ordis- .edge of the same and maintain tlieetrough- 17 substantially' full of the juice"saturated:`

y same are carried inwardly toward the bowl and `between the arms'38 and-39. They are onel of the carryin material. i Cans are supplied by hand or in any suitable manner to the exterior edge of the disk 32 and by the movement of the deflectedb'ythe arms 38 toward the margin ofthe disk and' each is engaged in turn by arms by which it is swept from the dis on t'o the marginal p0rltion ofthe table Abeneath and in. register with one .of the discharge openings 20. In its transfer from the disk to the table the can bears outwardly against the spring arm 39 which precludes any possibility' of the can being crushed between one of the carrier arms 30 and the flange 13 at the entrance to ness toward the point of entranceland exitl of the cans '(as clearly appears in Fig. 8), so that at the entry-and discharge thespace separating the table and the overhanging rim 'of the bowl is somewhat greater and the cans are thus permitted to pass beneath the depending marginal flange 2l of the opening 20 and as they moveI forwardlyv around y the table upon .the gradually ascending path formed by this plate 1:2a each can rises so as to cause the flange 21 to enter within its top.

An operator standing at the right hand side of the table by means of her hands draws the juice saturated tomatoes or other fruit over the edge ofthe trough upon the rim and into each succeeding filling opening 2() so as to partially fill each ofthe cans presented in turn while another operator at the left hand side of the machine completes the filling of each can and is charged with the duty of seein that each can Ais uniformly filled. This makes one person responsible for the pack and insures a degree of uniformity not possible where several operators are working independently. as underthe old hand pack methodof filling. As the cans leave the second operator and approach the discharge side of the disk their path descends and each in turn drops out of engagement with the flange 21 of the opening with which it has been in register and bv the time the can is carried on to the outwardly moving edge of the disk 32 it is out of engagement with such flange and passin upon the disk is carried outwardly away 1Irom the bowl and deflected by the arm 40 on to any suitable discharge carrier or to a position to be remoilged by hand.

In Fig. 2 is shown a form of machine suited to the packing of select fruits in ,which `a predetermined num-ber of whole fruit is placed in each can. This form of construction is in many respects identical with that previously described. However, the hopper 22l is omitted and the rim of the bowl is cut away upon the circular line vso as to omit the outer flange 19 and the outer lia-lf of the boundaries of the-discharge openings, thus leaving the upper portion of each can entirely exposed and merely engaging the inner portion of the can rim by means of the semicircular flanges 21a. Withthis machine the first operator endeavors to place vin each can a predetermined number of tomatoes or the like andthe second operator is charged with the duty of seeing that each can contains the proper number and also to complete the filling of the same with juice. The cans are fed into and discharged from the machine in the same manner as previously described.

I claim:

1. In a filling machine, the combination of a bowl having at the top a marginal rim, can positioning and carrying means mounted to move the cans with their upper open ends adjacent the bowl rim, and can feeding and discharge means for supplying empty cans and removing filled cans, substantially as described. v

2. In a filling machine, the combination of a bowl having at the top a marginal substantially horizontal rim provided with spaced discharge openings, can positioning and carrying means arranged to move the cans with their upper open ends lin register with the discharge openings in the rim, and can feeding and discharge means for supplying empty cans 'and removing filled cans, substantially as described.

3. In a filling machine, the combination of a rotary'bowl having at the top a marginal substantially horizontal rim provided with spaced discharge openings bounded by downwardly extending flanges, can positionc ing and carrying means arranged to move the cans with their upper open ends in register with the discharge openings and engaged by the flanges of the same, and can feeding and discharge means for supplying 'empty cans and removing filled cans, substantially as described.

4. In a filling machine, the combination of a rotary bowl having at the top a marginal substantially horizontal rim provided with spaced discharge' openings, can positioning and carrying means revolving with the bowl and arranged to move the cans with their upper open ends in register with the openings in the rim, and can feeding and discharge means for supplying empty cans and removing filled cans, substantially as described.

5. In a filling machine, the combination of a rotary bowl having at the top a marginal substantially horizontal rim provided with same, and can feeding and discharge means for supplying empty cans-,and removing filled cans, substantially as described.

6. T n a filling machine, the combination of a rotary bowl having a central conical projection surrounded by a trough, and having at the top a marginal substantially hori-v zontal rim provided with spaced'discharge openlngs, can positioning and carrying means revolving with the bowl and arranged tomove the cans with vtheir upper open ends, in register -with the openings in the Y, rim, and can feeding and discharge means `for supplying empty cans vand removing filled cans, substantially as described. j

7.f In .a filling machine, the combination of a rotary 4bowlfhaving a central conical projection surrounded'by a trough and havingm at the top a. marginal substantially horizontal riin provided with spaced dis-l 'charge openings bounded'. by downwardly extendingflanges, can positioning and carrying means mounted on thevbowl and arl ranged to move th'e, cans 4with their upper- .openends in register with the openings and engaged by flanges of the same, and can feeding .and discharge means for supplying cans vand removing filled cans, subempt l stantially as described.

Y vIn a filling machine, areservoir having at the top a marginal rim provided with discharge openings, means to move the cansfto and from the reservoir, and means to bringl the mouths of the cans adjacent and into. register with the discharge openings, substantially as described.

' "9. Inga filling machine, a reservoir having atithe top a marginal rim with discharge openings therein bounded by downwardly extending flanges, means to move the cans to and from the reservoir, and means to bring the -open ends of thel cans adjacent and in register with the discharge openings with the flanges inside the cans, substantially as described.

10'.v In a filling machine, a bowl having at the topa Vmarginal rim with discharge lopenings therein bounded by downwardly extending ianges, means to movethe cans along the track with their open ends adjacent thev marginal rim of .the bowl, and

means to'bring the open endsy of the cans into and out of register with the flanged discharge openings, substantially as described. I

11.111' a filling machine, a bowl havino` sloping sides, a marginal'rlm at the top o the bowl,discharge openings 1n the rim, and meansI for bringing the cans into and out 'of register with saidv disl substantially as described. l l

' 12. In a filling machina., a'bowl having h ,arge openings,

sloping sides, a marginal rim atfthetoplof e .seestantialipy circular fruitholder havinol a peripheral edge. the space aboye said edge being unobstrmv =d so that the fruit is accessible to. an op, eiser adjacent the machine, and so that th.' vz,ierator can remove fruit from the holder adjacent 'the peripheral edge of the holder, in combination with means for moving-a series of cans along with and adjacent said peripheral edge as the holderrotates, whereby the operator can readily ltransfer the fruit from the holder to the cans.

14. In a filling machine a rotary/substantially circular fruit holding table having a peripheral edge, the space above said edge being unobstructed so that the fruit is accessible to an operator adjacent the machine', and so that the operator can remove -fruit fron; the holder adjacent the peripheral edgelof the holder, in combination with means for moving a series of cans along with and aaiiacent said peripheral edge as the holder rotates, whereby the operator can readily transfer the fruit from the holder to the cans.

15. In a fillingmachine a rotary substantially circular fruit holder having a peripheral edge, the'l space above saidedge being unobstructed ,so that the fruit is accessible to an operator adjacent the machine, and so that the operator can remove fruit from the holder adjacent the peripheral edge of the holder, in combination with means for moving a series of cans along with and adjacentsaid peripheral edge as the holder rotates, whereby the operator can readily transfer the fruit from the holder to the cans, said holder being provided with guide means for directing the fruit into the cans.

16. In a filling machine a rotary substantially circular fruit holder having a peripheral edge, the space above said edge being unobstructed so that the fruit is accessible to an operator adjacent the machine, and so that the operator can remove fruit from the holder adjacent the peripheral edge of the holder, in combination with means for moving a series of cans along with and adjacent said peripheral edge as the holder rotates, whereby the operator can readily transfer the fruit from the holder the cans.

' 17. In a filling machine a fruit holder having a peripheral edge, the space above Said edge being unobstructed so that the fruit is accessible to an operator adjacent the machine and so that the operator can remove fruit fromv thev holder adjacent the peripheral edge of the' holder, means for moving said holder and means for moving a series of cans along with and adjacent 10 said peripheral edge as the holder moves wherebr the operator can readily transfer the fruit from the holder to the cans.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY'IVQ LOWE.

I'Vitnesses DANIEL G. TRENCH, LBL-AND BAncocK. 

